Case for tape measures



CASE FOR TAPE MEASURES 3a Filed 001'.. 3, 192'?A 4Q 7 Y A I: 5 7

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Patented May 2l, 1929.

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EUGENIE J. 'WITGI-IGER, GF SAflNAVJ, MICHEG'AN, ASSIG-NGR T0 LUFKN RULE C0., OIF SAGINAW, MGHIGAN, Al CORPORATION OF MCHGAN.

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Application led Uctober 3, 1927. Serial No. 223,523.

y This invention a case for tapemeasures and pertains to that general type of tape measure ease now in common use, in which the tape is enclosed by a pair of disk-like metal covers, which in turn are overlaid by a covering oi leather, fabric or similar material.

ln United States Patent No. 1,609,852 is sued to me December 7, 1926i showed and described a construction and arrangement in which `the flanges ot the disk-lilzecovers are held in spaced relation by a circular rim made ot sheet metal and having its edges slightly flanged to grip the outer edges oi the case members to lieep them 'from moving apart, and also having an internal bead received between the spaced edges et the disk flanges, thereby holding these flanges immovable toward eachother. y

That patent also disclosesa two-part fabric cover, the marginal edges ot which are seated in the groove formed by the internal bead. The structure of the patent includes a hooplike band received in the groove and clamping the marginal edges of the covers in place, the ends of the hoop being anchored to' the casein any suitable manner. In the structure of that patent, as in other tape measure cases of the same general character, the hoop-like binding action of the band in the groove is what holds the fabric in place.

My present invention relates to an improved bead construction by which the marginal edges of the labric cover are pinched, g ipped or clamped in the groove formed by the bead, as distinguished :from what may be termed the hoop tensioning method disclosed in the previous patent.

ln my improved bead construction the ed ges of the covers are clamped around the periphery of the ease by means of a bead characterized by having its side and bottom walls flexible or collapsible, that is to say, capable ot being deformed by pressing, rolling or squeezing them together. The walls oi the bead are thereby made to bulge so as to project into engagement with the interior faces of the dislted flanges, locking the sheet metal rim to the periphery of the case and making it optional instead of absolutely necessary, as heretofore, to provide a hoop-like band to clamp the edges of the fabric. Such a band, however, can, it desired, be used for purposes of rim reinforcement or for ornamental appearance. In the drawings l have .illustrated the invention both with an ornamental ring member inserted in the' bead and without one,

and also with an entirely concealed reintorc- .the binding rim, the bead being represented in full lirios in its initial shape and being indicated in dotted lines in its final shape.

ligs. 8, 4, 5 are respectively representations of the binding ring, the cover and thereinforcing band or ring member.

Fig. 6 is a' sectional detail representing the said parts assembled.

F 7 represents the assembly before the grooved member or bead ot the binding rim is distorted to form the case structure shown in Fig. 8. l

' Fig. 8 is a sectional detail et a modified form of case structure.

Fig. 9 is a further modiiied Jform.

Fig. l0 is a still further modilied form.

As is clearly shown in the drawings nu merals l and 2 indicate the pair of disk-like case members which are formed with tlenges 3, 4 spaced apart; The cover pieces-5, Gare applied in the usual way. A sheet metal rim 7 having case-gripping edges 8, 8 surrounds the case. The rim 7 also has an internal bead 9 which is received between the spaced edges 3a, 4a ot the flanges 3, 4. The bead 9 in its original shape is shown in Figs. 2 and 7, havingV the external appearance oit a p peripheral trough oi rectangular or other suitable cross sectional shape that projects into the case. The bead 9 is made of a flexible nnterial, such as sheet brass or soit steel. A

. ln making the case the flanges 8, 4 after assembling as shown in Fig. 7, are forced toward each otherv into the position shown in Fig. 8. This distorts the bead 9 inside the case and accomplishes two important results. Firstly, spreads the wall of the bead into clamping engagement with the inner faces of the flanged edges 3, 4, thereby pinching the rim 7 at all points ot its length tightly against the flanges 3, 4. By rolling the bead flat as shown in the drawings there is formed a strong, rigid case that does not depen-d upon tensioned binding hoop action for its integrity. Secondly, by forcing the side walls of the bead toward each other as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 the marginal edges of the cover pieces 5, 6 are tightly clamped, i. e. with a ring member such as 10 or ll in the bead as shown inlFigs. 6 and 8, or without it as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The fabric is securely clamped by the bead walls, regardless of whether the ends Iof the 'ring member 10 are fastenedto the edges ofthe tape, opening 12 or not. .Y

In Figs. 7 and 8, a concealed reinforcing ring ll is shown.Y f

It is now apparent that in the structures above described the edges ofthe fabric may lbe clamped-tightly around the periphery of the case without using any band that requires to be anchored to the flanges, 4 at its ends. In fact it is'lnot essential to the operation of the invention to employ any hoop at all, for example, theV structuresof Figs. 9 and lO.

Moreover,in the structures of Figs. 8 and 9,'

distorting the bead within the case, so Vthat it projects underneath and engages the interior faces of the flanged edges 3, l, locks the parts together and forms a strong, rigid structure, even without the fabric cover pieces. i j l Y, When the fabric. covers are employed the j distorted bead performs all necessary clamp ing functions without theV aid of a binding hoop.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: L 4

l. A case including flanged side members, a

Y flange-enclosing rim formed with an internal bead that projects between the flanges, a pair of cover members having their edges received i in the groove formedbysaid bead, andthe lwalls of said'bead distorted to tightly clamp the edges of said cover members in said groove. i

42. A tape measure case 'comprising a pair of side members havingperipheralanges arranged with their edges directed toward each other and spaced apart, a circumferential band overlying saidflanges, its lateral Vedges shaped to engage theouter shoulders of said flanges to hold the side members against movement away from each other, said band formed with an inwardly projecting flexible V,bead whose sides, in engagement with the edges of said spaced flanges, hold said `flanges immovable toward veach other, a two-part cover whose marginal edges are seated in the groove formed by said bead and are secured tei-nal bead received between the spaced edges of said flanges, exterior parts o f the walls of lsaid bead bentto projectinto engagement with the interior faces ofthe flanges and in-v terior parts of the walls of said bead in clamping' .engagement with the marginal edges of said cover pieces. f

' 4l. A pair of case members formed with llanges, a sheet metal band enclosing .said flanges and having case-,gripping edges and formed withv a bead, coverings, a ring member received in said bead, said beadsliaped to engage the inner faces of said flanges with its walls clamping the edges of the coverings against said ring member.v Y

5. A pair of case members formed with flanges, fabric coverings, a sheet metal band enclosing said flanges and formed with casegripping edges, said band'fornied with a longitudinalbead that projects inwardly between said flanges, the outer walls of said Vbead engaging the interior faces `of said flanges and having its inner walls compressed into clamping engagement with the edges of said coverings.

6. A tape measurecase 4including flanged side members, aflange-enclosing rim formed with an internalbead that projects between theflanges, the walls of said bead distorted to ltightly clamp the edges of. said flanges against the inner face Vof the flange-enclosingrim.

.7. A tape measure' case inclu-ding flanged sidejmembers, a flange-enclosing rim formed with an internal bead that projects between the flanges, the rim formed with lateral caseV gripping edges, and `the walls of said bead distorted to hold'the edges of said flanges againstthe innerface ofthe flange-enclosing rim.v y Y In testimony whereof, I afHX my signature.

EUGENE JiWI'IGHGER.

formed with Yso 

